According to the invention, an electrical connector terminal includes an elongated wire board mounting portion having an axis, wherein the mounting portion is formed to fit axially in a terminal opening in a wire board. An elongated generally planar wire connecting portion has an axis the same as the axis of the mounting portion and is formed to connect electrically with an outside wire lead. A shoulder portion is formed between the mounting portion and the wire connecting portion, wherein the shoulder portion has a first section that extends from a base of the wire connecting portion in a direction normal to the wire connecting portion so that the terminal will be held stably relative to the wire board when the first section of the shoulder portion is restrained by an outside part at a position outside the plane of the wire connecting portion. The shoulder portion also has a second section that diverges from an end of the first section farther from the wire connecting portion, and the second section extends in a direction that is parallel to the wire connecting portion. An end of the second section of the shoulder portion is dimensioned and arranged to provide a desired amount of coupling in association with a confronting end of a second section of a shoulder portion of a like connector terminal.
According to another aspect of the invention, an electrical connector terminal arrangement includes a wire board, and at least a first connector terminal and a second connector terminal mounted on the wire board. Each terminal includes an elongated wire board mounting portion having an axis, wherein the mounting portion is formed to fit axially in a terminal opening in the wire board, an elongated generally planar wire connecting portion having an axis the same as the axis of the mounting portion and formed to connect electrically with an outside wire lead, and a shoulder portion formed between the mounting portion and the wire connecting portion. The shoulder portion has a first section that extends from a base of the wire connecting portion in a direction normal to the wire connecting portion so that the terminal will be held stably relative to the wire board when the first section of the shoulder portion is restrained by and outside part at a position outside the plane of the wire connecting portion, and a second section that diverges from an end of the first section farther from the wire connecting portion, wherein the second section extends in a direction that is parallel to the wire connecting portion. An end of the second section of the shoulder portion of the first terminal is aligned with and spaced from an end of the second section of the shoulder portion of the second terminal to obtain a desired coupling between the first and the second connector terminals.
According to another aspect of the invention, an electrical connector terminal block includes a housing, a wire board supported in the housing, a base wall supported in the housing in the vicinity of the wire board, a first connector terminal, and a second connector terminal mounted on the wire board. Each of the first and the second connector terminals includes an elongated wire board mounting portion having an axis, wherein the mounting portion is formed to fit axially in a terminal opening in the wire board, an elongated generally planar wire connecting portion having an axis the same as the axis of the mounting portion and formed to connect electrically with an outside wire lead, and a shoulder portion formed between the mounting portion and the wire connecting portion. The shoulder portion has a first section that extends from a base of the wire connecting portion in a direction normal to the wire connecting portion, so that the first and the second connector terminals are held stable relative to the wire board when the first section of the shoulder portion of each terminal is restrained by said base wall at a position outside the plane of the wire connecting portion of each terminal. The shoulder portion also has a second section that diverges from an end of the first section farther from the wire connection portion, and the second section extends in a direction that is parallel to the wire connecting portion. An end of the second section of the shoulder portion of the first terminal is aligned with and spaced from an end of the second section of the shoulder portion of the second terminal in such a manner as to obtain a desired coupling between the first and the second connector terminals.
For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.